Category Archives: Buzzsumo

In January 2016 I looked back at the first 16 months of growing BuzzSumo. I thought now, 16 months later, it was probably time to provide a further update on our progress and my reflections on running a bootstrapped SaaS business.

I want to use this opportunity to challenge what I call the Unicorn orthodoxy. I have seen far too many people damaged by the stresses and strains of trying to be a unicorn. I want to set out the case for being a bootstrapped donkey and examine the pros and cons.

What’s funny is that you almost only hear that adage in reference to people: you shouldn’t judge people based off how they look.

Yet, when it comes to books, you can actually tell a lot about them by their covers.

That’s why publishers spend so much money on them.

This principle applies to the headlines of your blog posts, as well. While you can’t learn everything about the post from one simple line, headlines are clearly very important; it will either pull a reader in or keep them scrolling.

A well-designed marketing funnel turns your site’s visitors into customers. The better you can improve that funnel, the better your profits will be.

This type of improvement is only possible, though, if you understand the unique demands of each stage of your funnel. Otherwise, your would-be customers will end up in “funnel purgatory” where they quit progressing toward making a purchase.

One very important aspect of each of these stages is the content you use. Nail this important requirement and you’ll not only enjoy higher conversions; you may also find they happen much faster, too.